Here are five keys to watch in tonight's BCS National Championship game between No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Auburn.

1. Rush to defend: Florida State leads the nation in fewest points allowed per game (10.7) and the Seminoles are 13th in rush defense (116.5), so on the surface, it looks like FSU would be a good match for Auburn's nation's leading rush offense (335.7 YPG).

Forget all that.

Gus Malzahn's offensive approach is so different, one can't use how FSU held Miami to 83 yards and Duke to 99 yards as a barometer for how the Seminoles will fare against a Tigers offense full of elements of misdirection and option football.

Will FSU maintain its gap integrity against the Tigers' offense? If not, Auburn thousand-yard rushers Tre Mason (1,621 yards) at running back and Nick Marshall (1,023) at quarterback could wind up with the kind of big plays that have allowed the Tigers to make 300-yard rushing days routine. Against the Tigers, one missed assignment or missed tackle will result in a 20-plus yard chunk on the ground.

2. Winston Sail 'Em: If there is a mismatch in this game, it's when Florida State's offense takes the field.

If Winston is sailing deep balls to Kelvin Benjamin and Rashad Greene, that will put that much more pressure on the Auburn running game to produce points the way it did in its miracle wins over Alabama and Georgia.

3. Robinson vs. Edwards: Auburn left tackle Greg Robinson has been a road grader in the run game who's capable of pass blocking. Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards is a monster who is capable of holding his own at the point of attack in the run game and bringing pressure in the passing game.

4. Irving vs. Ford: On the other side of the ball, FSU second-team all-American tackle Cameron Irving has the task of holding Ford at bay.

Ford is capable of being disruptive with 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss on the season. If he and the front four can't get to Winston and the Auburn defense has to manufacture pressure by blitzing, thus making defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's blitz calls more predictable, it will be a long night for the Tigers' defense.

5. Special night?: Both teams have solid kickers, but Florida State freshman kicker Roberto Aguayo has been phenomenal, making 19 of 20 field goals en route to winning the Lou Groza Award. But if the game is close, the edge might go to Auburn kicker Cody Parkay (14-for-19 on the season), who has made big kicks in close games, something Aguayo hasn't had to do in a season full of FSU blowouts.